Side frame for chairs and the like



July s, 1947.A l

M. SABNER SIDE FRAME FOR CHAIRS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.15, 1944 July 8, 1947I l M. ABNER 2,423,798

SIDE FRAME FOR CHAIRS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. l5, 1944 l 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented July 8, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application January15, 1944, Serial No. 518,431 In Great Britain March 22, 1939 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to chairs and Alike articles of furniture and hasfor object the provision of improved constructions which shall bestronger and cheaper than those hi-therto employed while having certainadded advantages.

According to one feature of the invention an article of furniture, suchas a chair, settee or the like, is constructed with an open frame andthe frame is covered on both sides with multi-ply wooden panels orsheets to produce a smooth exterior and, in some parts, a smoothinterior, the plywood extending over all those areas where upholstery isnot necessary for the comfort of the user.

Another feature of the invention is a chair or the like in accordancewith the preceding paragraph comprising an upholstered seat andupbolsteredback and arm-rests which are removably attached to theplywood-covered frame. It is preferred that the securing means for thedetachable parts be so constructed and arranged that there is aninterlocking effect, one of the parts having to be removed before theothers may be detached.

In one example of the invention lan occasional or reside chair isconstructed with a pair of side frames connected by a seat frame and aback frame, the side frames and back frame being covered with sheets ofplywood on their outer and inner faces to produce sa wooden chair havinga smooth exterior and interior and also an appearance of solidity. Theplywood may be veneered so that, when polished, the chair appears to bemade from an expensive wood or it may be finished by painting orspraying. Any suitable seat may be placed on the seat frame, preferablya spring upholstered seat which is removable. The back may also beprovided with a removable pad or cushion while the upper ends of thesides, which constitute the arms of the chair, are preferably eachfurnished with an upholstered arm-rest lbuilt on a separate frame whichmay be detachably engaged with the respective side.

Another example is 1an easy chair which is constructed substantially asabove described with the exception that .the back frame is merelycovered with plywood on its rear face. An upholstered spring-interiorback-rest or pad is supported on `the front face of the back frame and asimilar seat pad is supported on the seat frame. The frames of the backand seat pads are provided with releasable catch members adapted toengage cooperating parts on the back frame and seatframe, respectively.The removable upholstered arm-rests are detachably connected to thesides of the chair, as by headed studs and cooperating keyhole slots.I-t is preferred to arrange the various catches and disengageable meansin such manner that the removable parts may only be detached in apredetermined order. For example, the edges of the back pad may bearranged to overlap the rear ends of the armrests to an extent sumcientto prevent detachment thereof from the chair sides and the catch on .theback pad may be disposed so that it is inaccessible while the seat padis in place. The latter would then be arranged with its catch at aconvenient location, say, beneath its front edge, so that removal of theseat pad permits removal of the back pad and the arm-rests in thatorder. It should be noted that the plywood-covered frames are very rigidand strong while being cheaper to produce than upholstered frames,whereas the upholstered parts may readily be detached for cleaning,repair or" recovering purposes. The articles of furniture in accordancewith the invention are, furthermore, very hygienic and are easily keptclean and dust-free.

It Will be appreciated that the frame is such that the plywood canreadily be applied to it. Thus it should not have breaks in the line ofany particular member. Otherwise the plywood may not only be difficultto apply but the appearance of the finished article would beunsatisfactory. Referring to the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is aperspective view of a chair embodying the invention; with parts thereofbroken away. Fig. 2 is a central sectional View through the chair.

Fig. 3 is a view of the invention taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with thearm rest cushions elimi- Y nated.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the under or rear side of the removablechair back cushion, particularly showing parts of the chair back cushionlocking means.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the under side of an arm rest,particularly showing parts of the arm rest locking means.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a view taken on line 'I-'I of Fig. 6.

Fig.. 8 is :a view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 3, particularly showing theremovable chair back cushion locking means.

Fig. 9 is a View taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a View of the permanent chair back with parts thereof brokenaway, and particularly showing part of the removable chair back cushionlockingmeans.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section through an arm and arm rest cushion withparts thereof broken away.

Fig. K12 is a perspective View of a modified form of chair` embodyingthe invention, with parts thereof broken away.

My invention, while being particularly disclosed in the drawings asapplied to a chair, may, with equal facility and equal effectiveness beapplied to any article of furniture, and hence it is my clear intentionthat furniture of a variety of types shall fall within the spirit andscope of this invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings I have used the letter F togenerally designate the basic arms and seat frame of an article offurniture, such as a chair. The various elements of such frame arepreferably glued together, or may, if desired be secured to each otherby means vof dowe1 pins or the like. An outstanding disadvantage offurniture, and one which my invention overcomes, is that the gluedelements of the frame often come apart. This is particularly the caseduring the winter, when furniture, and particularly the glued elementsof the frame thereof are subject to the adverse effects of relativelyhigh temperatures which prevail in homes and buildings. The furnitureconstruction f my in vention provides a protection against such adverseeffects of heat and dry air, as well as providing a reinforcing mediumfor the basic framework of the article of furniture to prevent thewarping thereof and to provide a greatly strengthened structure.

The basic framework F is shown in the drawings for purposes ofdescripiton and not of limitation, comprises a pair of spaced parallelhorizontally disposed bottom arm members I, each carrying at the frontand rear ends thereof casters or the like 2, so that the finishedarticle of furniture may be readily moved from place to place. It willbe understood that the distance the members I are spaced apartdetermines the width of the article of furniture being built, and itwill become clear from the description to follow that the width of eachmember I determines the width of the chair or the like arm to be `builtthereon. Front and rear pairs of spaced vertical arm frame members orposts 3 and 4, respectively, are mounted on spaced horizontally disposedsupporting elements -5 which are laid on the bottom arm members Iadjacent the longitudinal edges thereof. In the particular form of myinvention which is shown the top forward edge of each front vertical armframe member 3 is cut off to provide a bevelled surface Ii and each rearvertical arm frame member 4 is inclined rearwardly from theperpendicular relative to bottom arm members I.

Such constructions as the above are not essentialA and are not intendedto limit my invention to the precise form shown.

The top of each arm framework is formed by a fiat horizontally disposedmember 'I of substantially the same dimensions as the members I, themembers 'I being mounted on bridging elements 8 which are mounted on thetops of the Vertical arm frame members v3 and 5 to extend therebetween.It will thus be apparent that I have provided framework for the arms ofa chair or other article of furniture. Each of the members comprisingsuch framework may be glued-together at all meeting surfaces, or ifpreferred dowe1 pins may be used for this purpose.

The arm frameworks which have hereinbefore been described are coveredwith sheets or panels of plywood or the like non-warping relatively thinand smooth surfaced substantially rigid material, which is secured tosuch frameworks by means of glue applied at all meeting surfaces. Thusplywood or the like panels 9 are affixed to the arm framework on boththe inner and outer sides thereof, and plywood or the like panels I0 areaixed to the front vertical portions of the frameworks, and similarlyplywood or the like panels II are affixed to the rear vertical portionsof the frameworks. All of such panels are the same size as theframeworks and therefore cover the sides and ends thereof.

When the application of the panels is complete it will be evident that Ihave provided two arm members for an article of furniture, which are ofhollow construction and which include an interior basic supportingframework, and an exterior enclosing and reinforcing structure formed ofpanels.

After the hollow arm members are complete, the plywood sheets or panelsmay be covered with veneer or may be painted. Instead of veneering, orpainting, or otherwise applying an exterior decorative surface to theplywood sheets after they have been incorporated with the framework,they mayif found more convenientbe so decorated and covered before beingcombined with the framework.

After the two arm frameworks are constructed as above described they arejoined vtogether into permanent chair or the like forming position bymeans of two cross pieces or rigid connecting bars I2 which extendbetween and are glued to the lower surfaces ofthe inner plywood sheets9, as particularly shown lin Fig. 3 of the drawings. These cross piecesor elements I2 while functioning to combine andY support the two armframeworks, also, as will be hereinafter described, provide a bed forthe upholstered seat for the chair or other article of furniture.

Adapted to rest on the bed formed by cross elements I2 is an upholsteredseat forming cushion I3 having a bottom I4, and astop member l5depending downwardly therefrom and so disposed as to'engage the rearside of cross ele ment I2 to retain the -seat in position against`forward 'movement relative to the arm frameworks. y

It is usually desirable that the ltop surfaces of the -arms dened Ybymembers 'I be covered with an arm rest cushioning member. Such arm restusually comprises an upholstered structureV and it is'fhighly desirableVthat the upholstered parts of furniture be readily removable therefromfor cleaning and the like purposes. -It is obviousv that ythe seatportion I3 may be removed from the article of furniture. I have alsoprovided an arrangement for removably mounting arm restsvon lthe underside of the arm rests I provide T-headed locking screws I I which arefastened at longi- 'tudinally spaced Vpoints on the arm rests andproject downwardly therefrom. The `top varm framework .members "I `areprovided at longitudi- .nally spaced points, corresponding to thepositions of the locking screws vI'I on the arm rests I6, `with platesi8 securely fastened thereto, and Such plates are provided with T-shaped`slots I9 4therein lfor removable locking reception of the .lockingvscrews I1. -It

-will thus-b apparent that the armrests maybe removably locked to thetop arlnfmembers merely by placing the heads of the locking screws intothe head of the slots I9 in the plates I8 and then sliding the arm restsforward into the stem of the slots.

The back of my chair or other article of furniture is formed of a frame20 constructed of two Vertical and two horizontal elements glued tgetherat the corners. The rear side of such framework is covered with a panelof plywood glued to the framework. I provide a removable upholsteredback cushion 22 which is provided with locking screws 23 similar to thelocking screws I'I. Complementary plates and T-shaped slots 24 and 25,respectively, are provided on the vertical members of frame 20. Thefunction and operation of the locking screws 23, plate and T- slots 24and 25 are the same as the similar elements described in connection withthe arm rest locking means, and therefore will not now be repeated.However, it will be understood that I have provided an article offurniture in which all of the upholstered parts may be removed forcleaning and similar purposes.

The back is mounted on the chair by glue applied to the vertical backframe members and the interior panels 9. The back may be glued andmounted on the article of furniture at any angle relative to members Iwhich may be desired.

In Fig. 12 of the drawings I show a modified form of my invention, inwhich similar reference numerals refer to parts which are the same asparts in my preferred form. The upholstered portions I3, I6, and 22 areremovable and locked to the article of furniture similarly to those inthe preferred embodiment of my invention. In this form of my inventionthe pairs of front vertical members 3a are bowed or of arcuate `form andare covered by segmental side plywood sheets 9a which are separate fromthe plywood sheets or panels 9 but at mating edges are glued thereto.Front plywood sheets I0a are shaped to conform to the frame members 3aand are glued thereto. In all other respects the invention of Fig. 12 ofthe drawings is similar to the preferred embodiment of the invention.

I have provided a chair or other article of furniture which includes aninterior framework covered by an exterior plywood or the like deco- 6rative and reinforcing covering, so that the whole arm framework is ofhollow construction having unusual strength.

It is of further importance to note that I have provided a simple methodof constructing a chair or similar article of furniture. For instance,substantial numbers of arm sections or frameworks may be built, thenjoined in pairs by means of the connecting bars I2 after which the backsare inserted. Time will be saved by following this economical method ofmanufacture.

What I claim is:

An article of furniture, comprising arm frameworks, each formed of aninterior framework structure including a bottom flat horizontallydisposed member, vertically disposed posts supported by said bottom fiathorizontally disposed member, and a top fiat horizontally disposedmember xedly supported by said posts and substantially rigid panels ofthin sheet-like formation secured to vertical edges of the top andbottom flat horizontally disposed members to provide with such members asubstantially air-tight hollow arm framework, rigid connecting barssecured to one of said panels on each arm frame- Work and extendingtherebetween to space apart and connect said arm frameworks, and a backmember of panel formation secured to the inside rigid panel of eachhollow arm framework.

MARK SABNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 227,913 Merrill May 25, 1880275,823 Hale Apr. 17, 1883 851,067 Coffman Apr. 23, 1907 2,334,966Thompson Nov. 23, 1943 1,478,640 Coverly Dec. 25, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 470,826 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1937 474,624 GreatBritain Nov. 4, 1937 187,388 Switzerland Jan. 16,1937

